


Cielo

by SailorChibi



Series: winterfrostiron verse [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Collars, Dom Loki (Marvel), Evil Bucky Barnes, Evil Loki, Evil Tony Stark, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light BDSM, Light Bondage, Loki Does What He Wants, Loki Feels, Loki Needs a Hug, Multi, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, PTSD, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Loki (Marvel), Protective Pepper Potts, Protective Tony Stark, Stephen Strange is so done with the world, Sub Tony Stark, Switch Bucky Barnes, Thor just wants to be a good bro, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has Self-Esteem Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Touch-Starved, Touch-Starved Tony Stark, but it means the same thing, displays of ownership, everyone just wants Loki to rule the world, everyone just wants to dom Tony, except it's not actually a collar, except she's protecting Tony from the wrong thing, loki was brainwashed in the avengers moive, not team Cap friendly, not wanda maximoff friendly, the evil part is pretty subjective, wanda maximoff is a hydra soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:13:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24571357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorChibi/pseuds/SailorChibi
Summary: Things are coming to a head with Strange and the Time Stone, but two unexpected visitors throw a wrench in things. Pepper finding out is bad enough, but then Thor comes to town...
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Loki, James "Bucky" Barnes/Loki/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Loki/Tony Stark
Series: winterfrostiron verse [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/852195
Comments: 171
Kudos: 1106





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love this verse; I'm so glad I get to play in this sandbox.

"Good evening, Sir."

"Good evening," James said, taking in the entirety of the jewelry at a glance. There was only one other customer, a young woman who was looking at the engagement rings. One clerk was attending to her. The only other one was looking expectantly at James. None of the three people seemed like they posed a threat. He felt comfortable enough to step inside and let the door swing shut behind him.

"What can I do for you today?" the clerk asked with a polite smile.

"I have a package to pick up," said James, reaching into his pocket and taking out his ticket. He handed it over and the clerk took it, checked the information on it, and then disappeared into the backroom.

While he was waiting, he examined the contents of the counter in front of him. Each piece of jewelry was beautiful, there was no question, and had a price tag to match. He had already seen most of it, having spent several hours examining each piece. When he failed to find what he was looking for, he had turned to commissions. The store had been only too happy to take his order, particularly when he let them know that money was of no object - Hydra had deep pockets, and James wasn't above stealing from them when the situation warranted it.

And this _definitely_ warranted it.

"Here we are, Sir. Would you like to see it?" The clerk came out holding a flat black box. When he needed, she opened the box to let him see what was inside. 

James bent to get a closer look. Made from a mixture of gold and titanium, the ankle bracelet had several small links to hold it together. There were exactly five grey-blue diamonds on it, spaced evenly apart. He knew that it would look beautiful on his intended target, and let a satisfied smile cross his face as he straightened up.

"It's perfect. Thank you," he said, pleased. It had taken close to two weeks, but it had been time well spent as far as he was concerned.

"Excellent. How would you like to pay the remainder?"

He handed over a credit card and slipped the box into his pocket. As he headed out the door, he glimpsed his reflection. Maybe someday it would stop being surprising to see a tall, stocky, red-haired man looking back at him when he had his pendant activated, but for the time being it still gave him a start. Still, the disguise was the only thing that allowed him to move freely outside the tower. Maybe someday, when Loki had taken over Earth, he would be able to walk around as himself and not have to worry about the police, the Avengers, Hydra or SHIELD freaking out.

In the meantime, wearing the pendant was a small price to pay. He rather liked the anonymity. It meant that he could walk back to the tower unimpeded, and even duck into Tony's favorite cafe and pick up two coffees and a tea. He whistled softly as he jogged the last two blocks. As he neared the private entrance, FRIDAY recognized his approach and opened the door for him - she was a real sweetheart that way. 

"Where are Tony and Loki?" James asked, shifting the drinks to one hand so that he could slip his pendant off. Loki was used to it, but Tony quickly grew unsettled when James was wearing it. 

"I'm afraid Loki isn't here," said FRIDAY. "But Tony is in the workshop."

"Alright, let Tony know I'm on my way," James said. He'd hold onto the second coffee for a little while to see if Loki showed up. If not, there was no doubt in his mind that Tony would happily drink it.

He got off the elevator and walked into the workshop just in time to hear JARVIS passing on his message. Tony turned as James entered, and James's heart twisted when he saw a shy smile light up Tony's face. He didn't know if Tony would ever stop reacting that way, but he hoped not. It made James feel different than the way he felt when he saw Loki, but the emotions were no less pleasant. What he felt for Tony was softer, sweeter, than the passion that Loki brought out in them both.

"Hi," Tony said, letting his greasy hands fall into his lap.

"Hi," James said, walking over to greet him with a light kiss. Tony never initiated touch between him and James or between him and Loki, but he soaked up whatever attention Loki and James gave him like a sponge.

“Were you out?” Tony asked curiously, his eyes lingering on the pendant. 

“Yeah. I brought you coffee.” James presented the drink with a flourish and was treated to another adorable smile.

“Thank you!” Tony exclaimed, taking the coffee and cradling it between his hands like it was something precious. His reaction was sweet, but also sad. No one should be that happy or appreciative over a simple coffee.

Yet James also understood. There had been a very long period of time where he hadn’t known kindness either.

“You’re welcome. Actually, I bought you something else,” he said. “May I?”

Tony blinked and tipped his head to the side but nodded.

James knelt before him and was reaching for Tony’s foot when he realized that Tony had frozen.

“J-James?” Tony’s voice had taken on a squeaky, panicked note.

“Relax,” James said, amused in spite of himself as he took Tony’s foot in hand. He slipped Tony’s sneaker and sock off, leaving Tony’s foot bare. He lightly tickled the sole.

“Hey!” Tony complained, jerking his knee. “None of that. What are you doing?”

By way of response, James laid Tony’s foot in his lap and then took the box from his pocket. Tony’s eyes doubled in size and he fell quiet, lips parted in shock, when James opened it. James had to admit, the anklet looked impressive. And it looked even more so when he took it out of the box, gently draped it across Tony’s skin, and clasped it shut. It was, he noticed with satisfaction, a perfect match for Loki’s bracelets save for the color of the gems.

“What…” Tony breathed. He set his cup down and said again, “What?”

“It’s for you. My gift to you,” James said quietly, admiring how it looked. “To match Loki’s bracelets… if you want it, of course.”

He glanced up, meeting Tony’s gaze for a moment, then moved his eyes to Tony’s wrists. Like always, Loki’s bracelets were visible; he didn’t think that Tony ever took them off. One was a normal bracelet that fit snugly against the wrist gauntlet for the suit. The other was a panja bracelet that connected to a ring around Tony’s middle, ring and index fingers – Loki had changed the design subtly a couple of days ago, adding the two extra rings. The gold links and emeralds now splayed over the back of Tony’s hand in a beautiful design.

“If I…” Tony let out a shallow laugh and slid right off the chair and into James’s lap. He threw his arms around James’s neck, hugging him with a fierceness that took James by surprise.

“I take it that’s a yes?” he asked, nuzzling Tony’s neck.

“It’s a yes,” Tony confirmed. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

“You’re welcome, Darling,” James murmured, savoring the glow of a job well down. Hoping that Tony would like the gift and want to wear it and seeing the evidence with his own eyes were two different things indeed. 

After all, it hadn’t taken him long to realize that Tony liked - _needed_ \- physical evidence of their claim on him. It gave him comfort during those moments when Loki or James weren’t there, and the worst of the doubts began to rear their ugly heads. It was a reminder that he wasn’t alone, that they had him, that he belonged to Loki – that they both did.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking,” Tony said shyly, pulling back. He didn’t move to get out of James’s lap and James made no move to let him go, perfectly comfortable.

“Thinking about what?” James asked, more than willing to give Tony his full attention for as long as Tony wanted. FRIDAY had shown him plenty of footage of when Tony had lived with the other Avengers. They had all frequently ignored him, either because they had no interest in listening to Tony ramble on about science or because they just didn’t care. Or both. James didn’t care which.

He thought that listening to Tony talk about science and the wonders of the future was fascinating. So did Loki, for that matter. Science was the Midgardian version of magic in many ways, and Tony had been stunned by the sense of intrigue that Loki displayed. It was like Tony had never had an interested audience; he didn’t seem to know what to do with himself when they actually _listened_.

Perhaps, James mused, the next time he saw Rogers, he would stab the man rather than just punch him in the face.

“About something for Loki,” Tony said, and James looked at him sharply.

“Something for Loki?” he repeated.

Tony nodded. “I know it wouldn’t have the same meaning. The bracelets and the anklet, I know they mean I belong to you… and Loki doesn’t, not really… But I thought he might want something all the same. A reminder that he’s got people who want him to be king, who believe that he could be, and who want to make it happen. What do you think?” He looked at James apprehensively.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” James said honestly. He privately believed that Loki needed them more than Tony realized, but that kind of understanding would come with time. Loki might not belong _to_ them, but he belonged _with_ them, and they with him, and that was an important distinction all on its own.

“Really?” Tony brightened. “JARVIS, bring up the specs, would you?”

James wasn’t sure if he’d ever get used to how futuristic Tony’s workshop could be. The room was suddenly illuminated with holograms, and it took him a moment to realize what he was looking at. A staff. He was looking at a staff.

“See, I wasn’t sure if Loki would want a staff at first after the Battle of New York,” said Tony. He held a hand out and the hologram drifted over to him. “But sometimes when talks about being back on Asgard, he mentions having had one. And it just seems to fit him, you know?”

“I know,” James said with a nod. Tony and Loki both had the tendency to talk with their hands, but curiously enough Loki only ever gestured with his left hand when he spoke – as though his right hand were otherwise occupied. Say, by a staff that he was holding.

“I don’t know much about runes and things like that, but JARVIS is doing research and I can run a few things by Strange if I had to,” Tony continued. “I can do the metal parts, but I thought…”

“What?” James looked at him. 

“You could do the wood part, if you like. I remember you saying that you used to like wood carving.”

James blinked in astonishment. That had been a fragment of a memory from his time as Bucky Barnes. He couldn’t believe that Tony had been paying such close attention.

“It’s okay if you want to,” Tony said quickly, incorrectly interpreting James’s silence. “Everything I’ve been reading up on says that a mixture of two elements is best, and wood and metal seemed like the best one for Loki. But I could also blend together two different kinds of –”

“No,” James said quickly. “I’ll do it. I mean, I’ll try. I haven’t done anything like that in years. I don’t even know if I still can.” His stomach twisted with uncertainty. That was something Bucky had done, usually at night when he needed a distraction from the trials of war. It was entirely possible that Hydra had stripped that ability right out of James.

But he wanted to try. He owed it to Loki, who had set him free in so many ways, and to Tony, who had given himself to them. 

“Great!” Tony’s eyes lit up. “Then let’s talk about designs.”


	2. Chapter 2

"I just don't know anymore. I wake up in the morning thinking that we've done the right thing, but then the day drags on and nothing comes together. I thought... I thought for sure that things would be over by now. I can't help starting to doubt myself. What would you do, Buck?"

Steve looked up at the cryogenic chamber that held the body of his best friend. Naturally, Bucky didn't respond because he was still frozen. It would never stop being weird to see him like that: eyes closed, hand resting on his stomach, chest perfectly still. Like he was dead.

He didn't like it. Steve wanted the Bucky that he remembered: the bright, snarky, sarcastic asshole who flirted with every dame who crossed his path and who never failed to follow Steve into a battle. Sometimes he wanted to wake Bucky just on the off chance that asshole had somehow magically returned. It was only T’Challa’s and Shuri’s repeated warnings about Bucky’s fragile mental state that kept him from doing just that.

"Buck," he said again, as though that would be enough to prompt a response.

But of course, it wasn't. Steve sighed and stood up, rubbing the back of his neck in an unconscious gesture he had picked up from Bucky. Natasha had told him once that it wasn't healthy for him to spend too much time here, but Steve couldn't help himself. More and more, he found himself sitting on a chair in front of the chamber and spilling his heart out. Bucky was the only one who listened, and even if the words fell on deaf ears, it still made Steve feel better to say them out loud. If he listened hard enough, he could almost hear Bucky answering.

He took a step closer to the chamber and set his hand on the cold glass, looking at the familiar face within. At least while frozen, Bucky’s expression was one of peace. It had never been like that while Bucky was conscious. The pain and trauma in Bucky’s eyes – it was like a different person and Steve didn’t know how to handle that. He just wanted his best friend back…

"I thought you would be here."

He turned, startled, and saw Natasha standing at the door. Steve frowned, feeling defensive, and said, "I just dropped by to make sure that they were still treating Bucky okay."

"I hardly think that the King of Wakanda is going to back on his word," Natasha said. Her eyes flicked towards the cryogenic chamber, and Steve was seized with the irrational urge to block her view. There was something judgmental in Natasha's face when she looked at Bucky and he didn't like it.

"You never know. Anyone could go back on their word," Steve said grimly. At one time, he never would've believed that Tony could betray them the way that he had. That showed what Steve knew. He didn’t know T’Challa half as well as he thought he’d known Tony.

"Hmm," Natasha said, her gaze returning to Steve. "Wanda is still here. She hasn't gone to see Vision again."

This again? Steve fought back the urge to sigh. Over the past few days, Natasha had become obsessed with the idea that there was more to Wanda's disappearance than what Wanda said. She couldn't seem to accept the fact that Wanda and Vision had spent that much time together. Clint had been a little skeptical too until Wanda outlined the places she and Vision had been and described in more detail what they two of them had been doing. Then Clint was just jealous that Wanda could use her powers to move freely amongst the general crowds, whereas the rest of them would be recognized immediately.

"Don't you think that's strange?" Natasha pressed.

"Not really, considering what a hard time you've given her about her being gone last time," Steve said, unable to keep the note of impatience from his voice. "Maybe she just doesn't want to face the third degree from you again. I can't blame her for that."

Natasha stiffened. "This is not my fault, Steve," she said sharply. "I recognize that you don't like being in Wakanda, and I know that you're frustrated with the situation, but you can't take it out on me."

"I'm not taking it out on you," Steve lied, walking towards her. Natasha stepped backwards automatically, and he squeezed past her, pulling the door to Bucky's room shut. There was no reason for anyone besides Steve to be in that room; he didn't like the idea of Natasha staring at Bucky and judging him. Out of everyone, Bucky was the one person in all of this who was innocent.

"It sure sounds like you are," said Natasha.

Steve just shook his head. "I contacted Sharon," he revealed.

"Sharon Carter?"

"Yes. I asked her to do some checking up on Tony," he said. He hadn't shared that with Natasha before now, but he was hoping that doing so would get Natasha to give Wanda a bit of a break.

"Why?" Natasha asked, watching him closely. Steve fought the urge to roll his eyes. What, did she think he had contacted Sharon just because he wanted to kiss her? No. That had been a mistake. Now that he had Bucky back and they weren't all fighting for their lives, Steve had the clarity of mind to recognize that. In that moment when Sharon returned his shield, he had been deeply attracted to the bits of Peggy that shone through her. The kiss had been both instinctive and a mistake, though not one that he regretted - he wasn't sure Sharon would've agreed to help otherwise. 

Still, Natasha didn't need to know any of that. So he said, "Because she was the only contact I reached out to who answered me, and as a former SHIELD member I figured she was capable of getting closer to Tony than your average person. I reached out to her when we thought Wanda was missing. If she was really gone, I knew that Tony had to have something to do with it."

Natasha tilted her head, conceding that point. They all knew how Tony felt about Wanda. "And what has Carter said?"

"Nothing. She hasn't reported in for a few days now," Steve said grimly. He had sent her a few texts, but she hadn’t answered.

"And that doesn't concern you?" Natasha exclaimed, throwing her hands up. "Steve, for god's sake. You must see that there's a pattern here! First Wanda and now Carter. Everyone we're in contact with who leaves the safety of Wakanda's walls goes missing."

"Wanda wasn't missing and she wasn't around Tony," Steve reminded her. Though Vision had been, he thought privately with a frown. Vision had been dividing his time between the Xavier Institute and the tower according to Wanda. As far as Steve was concerned, Vision was better off anywhere but the tower.

"It's like talking to a broken record," Natasha muttered, looking frustrated. "Okay. Has anyone heard from Vision in the last little while?" She put her hands on her hips.

Steve shrugged. "I assume that Wanda has," he said. "She's really the only one that kept in contact with him."

"Maybe you should call him. Vision could probably visit Tony and see if there's any sign of Carter. Tony wouldn't suspect him," Natasha pointed out.

"That... is actually not a bad idea," Steve said slowly, thinking it over. Natasha was right about Vision being the only one who could get close to Tony without suspicion, at any rate. The real question was whether or not Vision would be willing to do that. Steve could never quite tell just who Vision was loyal to.

“And don’t just have Wanda do it,” Natasha said sternly.

“That’s not what I was thinking,” Steve lied. “I’ll contact him. But honestly, Nat, it’s possible that Sharon got cold feet. I know she was being watched pretty carefully by her superiors in the CIA. She might have decided that working with us was just too risky.” His stomach twisted at the thought. He hated the fact that they were reduced to sneaking around like this.

“Maybe. I’m not familiar enough with Carter to know,” Natasha said, but at least she looked thoughtful now instead of angry. Good. Steve regretted bringing Sharon up in the first place. He hadn’t realized that Natasha would take it as more fodder against Wanda.

They walked back towards the suite of rooms that T’Challa had assigned to them. Even after several weeks in the palace, no one met Steve’s eyes. The guards and servants that they passed glossed right over them as though Steve and Natasha weren’t even there. It was enough to make the hair on the back of Steve’s neck stand up straight. He had the impractical urge to grab someone by the shoulders and shake them until they _looked_ at him.

But he didn’t. That would be testing the boundaries of T’Challa’s patience, and they couldn’t afford to get on the king’s bad side right now. 

Per his promise to Natasha, he reached into his pocket and took out his burner phone. There was only one number in it: the phone he had sent to Tony. So far Tony had not texted or called, but Steve was confident that it was only a matter of time. He hadn’t yet decided what his response would be when Tony did get in contact, but he knew for sure that it was going to take some work for Tony to be trusted again. 

“Wanda, do you have Vision’s number?” Steve asked as they walked into what was serving as the living room. Natasha immediately looked over at Wanda, eyes narrowed. Wanda turned away from where she was watching television to smile at the two of them.

“Sure,” she said. She had been much more cheerful since her three weeks with Vision, Steve had noticed. Before, she would walk around in a perpetual bad mood muttering about Tony and revenge. Now, she happily pulled out her own burner phone and read a number off to Steve.

“When was the last time you heard from Vision?” Natasha asked.

“Not since I left him last,” Wanda replied, still smiling. 

“Don’t you think that’s weird? You two used to text constantly,” said Natasha.

Wanda shrugged. “He must be busy,” she said dismissively, and okay – Steve could admit that was kind of weird. Vision had been reluctant to talk to Wanda at first after their last encounter, when Vision tried to stop her from leaving the Compound. Wanda had been _furious_ with Tony for that, convinced that Tony was manipulating Vision against her. It had taken her some time to convince Vision to speak with her, and after that the two of them had texted regularly.

“I’m going to text him,” Steve said, eyeing her.

“Okay,” Wanda said.

Natasha gave Steve a pointed look and gestured to Wanda, as though to ask whether or not that reaction was normal. Steve had to admit that it wasn’t, and that maybe Wanda hadn’t been acting normally for a little while. He found himself wondering if maybe Natasha was right and there was more to Wanda’s absence than Wanda had let on. Maybe she hadn’t been with Vision the whole time.

But if not with Vision, with who? It was laughable to think that she’d be with Tony, but Wanda didn’t know that many other people.

Unless…

No. Steve shook his head. There was no way Wanda would’ve been with Hydra. She wasn’t that kind of person. Wanda was a good girl; Hydra might have tricked her into working for them the first time, but there was no way Wanda would fall for that again. 

He frowned to himself and quickly texted Vision, just a casual query about what Vision had been up to lately. If Vision responded, then maybe he could ask what Vision had been up to. That would be a good segue into asking both about Wanda and about Tony. And if Vision didn’t want to go see Tony, well… Steve wasn’t sure what he would do, or even what he _could_ do.

“I’m telling you, something isn’t right,” Natasha hissed in Steve’s ear as Wanda turned back to the television.

“Well, what else do you want me to do about it?” Steve snapped back in a low tone. “It’s not like I can get on a plane and go see Tony myself. I can’t read minds either.”

Natasha looked frustrated. “I don’t like this, Steve.”

“I don’t like it either, but I’ve done all I can,” Steve said, putting his phone in his pocket. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go ask Shuri about Bucky’s rehabilitation.”


	3. Chapter 3

"You really didn't have to come with me, you know."

"I know. I wanted to."

Tony kept his face turned towards the ground, hiding the little flutter in his chest at those sincerely spoken words. Would it ever stop being a novelty that James and Loki seemed to _want_ to do things with him, rather than seeing any time spent with Tony as a chore? Probably not.

Of course, he knew that part of the reason that James was accompanying him was because of people like Sharon Carter. It was dangerous for Tony to be out and about on his own right now, and normal bodyguards like Happy - as amazing as Happy was in his own way - weren't going to cut it when it came to SHIELD or the CIA. James, on the other hand, was an enhanced super soldier who had been a deadly sharpshooter even before Hydra got their hands on him. If someone was stupid enough to try to attack Tony with James there, there was no doubt in Tony's mind that James would take them out before anyone knew what was happening.

"Where do you think Loki is?" he asked, rubbing his hands together absently. It was unseasonably cool for late summer in New York, almost as the weather was reflecting Tony's mood.

"I'm not sure, but I know he'll be back," James said. He sounded so sure. Tony stopped rubbing his hands together to look at the bracelets that he wore. They were more of a comfort than anyone could know, as was the anklet now wrapped around his right ankle. It was a pleasant weight, one that he was conscious of every time the fabric of his jeans moved the right way.

"Right," Tony said. Weird as it was, he missed Loki. His presence was calming in a way that Tony had not anticipated. James was wonderful, but when Loki was around it was hard not to believe that everything would turn out fine. He looked forward to the day when all of this was over, and Loki had control of the Earth so that none of them had to worry about anything anymore.

And that's why today, he was going back to the sanctum.

"Should I come in or would you prefer I wait outside?" James asked as they neared the building. "Do you feel safe in there?"

Tony considered the question. Safe probably wasn't the word he would have used; he always felt just a little uncomfortable in the sanctum. It was the same sort of feeling you got when you walked through a spider web, as though fine, gossamer strands were sliding over his skin. Strange had told him once that he had been touched by a sorcerer who used old magic, but he had never elaborated on what that meant. Tony could only assume that was the reason the sanctum made him feel as odd as it did: it was the remnants of Asgardian magic rubbing up against Earth's magic.

He made a face at himself. Two years ago, he would've laughed himself silly at those sorts of thoughts. Magic, ha! And now he regularly went to his knees for a sorcerer. What had his life turned into?

"You should stay out here. I don't want Strange to feel like we're ganging up on him," Tony said finally. It was more important to work towards Strange's trust at this point, considering what they were asking of him. 

"Alright. But if you're not out here within half an hour, I'm coming in after you," James said. He leaned over and gave Tony a light kiss on the mouth, then disappeared into a nearby café while Tony was standing there flushing like an idiot.

He shook himself out of it and walked up the steps of the sanctum; this time, the doors opened before he got there to allow him in. When he walked inside, he saw that Strange was standing there already waiting for him. The doors swung closed soundlessly behind Tony - which wasn't creepy _at all_ \- and left them standing there staring at each other in silence. Tony could have happily waited for Strange to be the one to break the silence, but he was conscious that he was on a time limit and he wasn't sure how long this was going to take.

So he said, "I assume you've had enough time to think about my request. I'm here to see what you've decided."

Strange stayed quiet for another few seconds, eyes scanning Tony from head to toe. At last, he said, "I have colleagues who recommended that I throw you out of the sanctum and forbid you from ever entering again."

"I see," Tony said slowly, wondering if perhaps James should have escorted him inside after all.

"I'm not a threat to you," Strange said. He set a hand on the pendant he wore around his neck. "I've looked into the future."

A chill ran down Tony's spine. "And?"

"In every future I looked into, Thanos came," Strange said heavily.

Tony briefly closed his eyes. That was exactly what'd been afraid of. He would've vastly preferred it if Strange had called him crazy and told him that Thanos had no interest in the stones or in Earth. But he was never that lucky.

"Did you see what happened in the futures where he got the stones?" he asked, opening his eyes again.

Strange nodded. "He destroys half of all life in the best case scenario."

"I'm afraid to ask about the worst case scenario," Tony muttered.

"You don't want to hear it." Strange sighed. "I could only find a handful of futures where we won, and you were central in all of them."

"I was?" Tony said, startled.

"Yes. Although in all those futures but one, you died saving the universe."

Tony shivered and crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly glad that James hadn't come in after all. Hearing those words probably would have made James very upset. It made _Tony_ upset, though he was trying very hard to hide it.

"That's what I do," he said with a weak smile. "I am Iron Man."

Strange blinked, shoulders stiffening, and gave Tony a very hard look. "Yes, you are," he said softly.

What did that mean? Tony shifted his weight, unsure, and said, "So... what about that one future where I don't die and Thanos doesn't win? What about that one?"

"I can't tell you any specific details about it. Trying to aim for one specific future can sometimes result in that future not happening because you're trying too hard," Strange explained, though his expression never lost its intensity. "I will say that it's not the future I had hoped for, and I only caught a glimpse, but… I have to admit that it didn't look as bad as I would have guessed. So…”

“So…” Tony echoed.

“I will give you the stone.”

It took effort to keep his jaw from dropping. “Really?” Tony said, unable to hide his astonishment. He had been certain that Strange would refuse to give up the Time Stone, which would have been a shame – he thought that there was real potential for Strange when it came to being a powerful ally. 

“I’ve seen enough futures to know that destroying the stones won’t collapse the world as we know it. I’m not happy about it, but this seems like the best option,” Strange replied. He sighed. “Though I’m supposed to protect the stone, not participate in having it destroyed.”

“Having protect the stone sounds like a significant job. Wouldn’t it be better to not be tied to something like that?” Tony said. 

“Technically you’re right, but I was also able to harness the power of the stone and that helped when it came to certain enemies,” Strange said.

“Well, now you can harness the power of the Avengers instead,” Tony told him. “Loki has a vested interest in the future of the Earth, so if something came around he would probably help you out.”

Strange contemplated that, then smiled wryly. “No offence, Stark, but I’m not sure I’m comfortable asking Loki for any favors.”

“Fair,” Tony said, shrugging. “Do you want me to take the stone, or?”

“I will keep it until such time that you’re ready to destroy it. It needs to be protected until then.”

“Okay. Then I’ll come back tomorrow with Loki,” Tony said. Hopefully, James would have some way of getting in contact with Loki in the meantime, since Loki was the only one who get Maximoff from Wakanda and control her mind when it came to destroying the stones.

“Very well.” Strange held out a hand. “Don’t make me regret this.”

“I won’t.” Tony went to take Strange’s hand, but in the next instant Strange had grabbed his wrist and pulled Tony’s hand up to expose the panja bracelet. Both men stared in silence at the – in Tony’s expert opinion – gorgeous display of fine gold chains and emeralds splayed against the back of Tony’s hand. The three gold rings fit his middle, ring, and index fingers perfectly. The effect was stunning.

“There are many spells layered over this,” Strange said, staring at the bracelet.

“I know,” Tony said. He didn’t know exactly what sort of spells, but that was to be expected from someone like Loki. It was a physical reminder of who he belonged to now, just like the anklet around his ankle, but it and the bracelet on his opposite arm were _more_. Heightened emotions brought forth a slight feeling of Loki’s magic, as though Loki were there with him in some way. It was much more comforting than it should’ve been.

“You’re playing with fire, but you don’t even care,” Strange murmured, amused.

“More like I’ve been burned by fire so many times that I’m perfectly happy to encase myself in ice and be done with it,” Tony said. It was unlikely that Strange would ever know what he meant by that, but it was the truth. He pulled gently and Strange let go. 

He left without a backwards glance; the doors of the sanctum closed soundlessly behind him as soon as he was out on the steps, and Tony shook his head as he hurried down towards the sidewalk. He didn’t mind Loki’s magic, might have even come to enjoy the feeling of it, but magic as a whole still made him somewhat nervous. It was too unpredictable.

No sooner had he put a foot down on the pavement then James appeared at his side. The sight of made Tony relax, and he hesitantly leaned into James for a hug. James’s arms came up and wrapped around him immediately. Tony hadn’t even realized until that moment how afraid he’d been that James would push him away, and he found himself relaxing even more.

“How did it go?” James asked, effortlessly holding Tony up.

“He said yes,” Tony said, smiling with relief. “We come back tomorrow. Do you happen to know of a way to get a hold of Loki? He doesn’t exactly carry a cell phone around.”

“We both have a way of getting a hold of him,” James said, sounding surprised. 

“We do?”

James released him, and Tony instantly missed the warmth and safety of the hug, only to take hold of Tony’s hand. He lifted up the hand with the panja bracelet, much as Strange had, and pointed to the many emeralds.

“If you touch any of these and think about needing Loki, he’ll come. My earring works the same way. Didn’t Loki tell you that?”

“Uh… I don’t think so,” Tony said. Or had he, and Tony just hadn’t been paying attention? Sometimes it was hard to focus on the world in general when he was wrapped up in Loki’s arms. He was usually too busy soaking in the feelings of warmth and affection to think about anything else.

“Well, I haven’t tested it myself. But I’m sure that it works. Give it a try,” James said.

Tony touched a couple of the stones with his opposite hand and thought hard about Loki and the stones and Strange; he didn’t know how much information could get through, but just in case he thought that more was better. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but it wasn’t for James to smile and for a pair of familiar arms to wind around his waist and pull him back against a lean, muscled chest.

In his ear, Loki whispered, “You called, my pet?”


	4. Chapter 4

“Speak of the devil,” Tony murmured, which made James laugh and Loki snort. Tony couldn’t hold back his smile, relaxing into Loki’s grip. 

Many people would have called him crazy, but he was coming to believe that there was no safer or more comforting place to be. Not many people would have put themselves between Tony Stark and the rest of the world, but Loki and James had done so and asked for nothing more than Tony himself. Not his money, not his fame, not his connections, not his brain.

Just Tony.

It was still a little hard to believe. Part of him couldn’t help thinking that if he threw his hands up tomorrow and stopped helping to look for the stones and withdrew all of his aid, Loki and James would leave. Slowly but surely, he was becoming terrified of that happening. He couldn’t bear the thought of returning to the empty Tower and having to live with the weight of the world on his shoulders alone; anxiety squeezed his chest tightly whenever he lingered too long on that possibility.

Or was it an eventuality? Everyone got tired of Tony eventually…

“Pet?” Loki repeated. There was a hint of sharpness to his voice, as though he had noticed Tony’s thoughts wandering down roads best left not dwelled upon.

“Strange said yes,” Tony said, snapping to attention. “He’s agreed to give us the stone. I’m not sure he’s completely comfortable with the idea of you taking over the world, but he also hasn’t sounded the alarm. He said he looked at the future and that it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be, whatever that means.”

“He looked at the future? People can do that?” James said, amazed.

“Yes, but it’s fool’s magic,” Loki murmured. “Many sorcerers have looked into the future for so long that they forgot to live in the present.”

A chill ran down Tony’s spine. “He said that there were many futures, but that Thanos came in all of them. Destroying the stones is the best chance we have.” He decided to tactfully omit the fact that Strange had also told him he died in all the futures but one. That wasn’t information that Loki or James needed to know right now.

“I’m glad he saw reason. I’ll have to fetch the witch from Wakanda,” Loki said, sounding more thoughtful now. 

“I told him we’d come back tomorrow. I didn’t know when you’d be back,” Tony said. He was half-tempted to ask where Loki had been but wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Chances were Loki had been searching for the other stones, but whether that meant Loki was on Earth or off-planet was hard to say. It was hard to know how much he was allowed to pry.

“Tomorrow we’ll have another stone gone,” James said, looking satisfied. “That’s two stones down and four to go.”

“Three,” Tony corrected him. “We can’t get to the Soul Stone, remember.” He was about to say more when he paused, suddenly realizing that three of them had gathered a small audience. It wasn’t unusual for some people to approach Tony when he was out and about, and that had only gotten worse since he became Iron Man. People, especially kids, wanted autographs or photographs or favors or – in the case of some of his more brazen fans – money.

But in this case, he was pretty sure the tall redhead staring at them with an open mouth didn’t want an autograph.

“Who’s that?” James asked, following Tony’s gaze, and Loki stiffened.

“That… would be Pepper,” Tony said with a sigh. 

“Do you want me to get rid of her?” Loki asked, and for a split-second Tony was honestly tempted to take Loki up on that offer. He didn’t think it would take much for Loki to make Pepper forget what she had seen. But a cooler head prevailed. Eventually, people were going to figure out that Tony dating – if you could call it dating – two men. It was best if he headed Pepper off at the pass.

“No, it’s okay,” Tony said slowly, trying to figure out how much to tell her. He hadn’t spoken to Pepper much since Rhodey’s death, which was as much his fault as it was hers. Tony had withdrawn from everyone after what happened at the airport. Pepper hadn’t been what he needed, and some unkind words had been said on both sides after she’d suggested _again_ that he give up the suit. 

Of course, part of the problem was that Tony hadn’t understood that what he needed wasn’t her tears and sympathy, but a stern hand coupled with gentle compassion. He was reminded of that by the firm pressure of Loki’s hands against his stomach, and the way that James shifted closer and took on an obviously protective stance. 

“Are you sure?” James asked.

“Very sure.” Tony carefully detangled himself from Loki’s embrace and walked away from them, heading towards Pepper. His mind raced as he approached her. Should he tell her the truth? A flat-out lie? Something in between? He wasn’t ready for this.

“Hi Tony,” Pepper said when he was within earshot. Only someone who knew her as well as Tony did would be able to see how tired she looked behind her impeccably done make-up. 

“Hi,” he said quietly. “What’s up?”

“I think I should be asking you that,” she said meaningfully, still looking over his shoulder. Tony glanced back. Loki and James were watching them, but of course that wasn’t what Pepper would see. Loki used magic to create an illusion every time he or James left the tower, and that illusion completely changed their appearances. No one would equate the men Tony had been standing with Loki or James Barnes until Loki wanted them to.

“Right. You, uh, you up for a coffee?” Tony asked, nodding at the café just up the street. For a moment he thought she’d say no, and that hurt. He and Pepper had failed spectacularly at being anything more than friends, but that didn’t mean he wanted to lose her. 

“Sure,” she said, much to his relief, and they headed to the café together. Inside, Pepper found them a seat while Tony ordered. He fidgeted while waiting for their drinks; he tried very hard not to think about what Rhodey would have thought about all this, but seeing Pepper was making it hard to think about anything else.

When their order was ready, he took their drinks to the table Pepper had chosen. It was at the back of the café and kind of tucked into the corner, with only a loveseat to sit on. Tony sat, a little uncomfortable at their enforced proximity, and slid Pepper’s drink across the table to her. She picked it up and took a sip, then gave him a curious look that he couldn’t parse.

“What?” he asked finally.

“We dated for almost a year and you couldn’t remember my drink order, but now that we’ve broken up you know what I like,” she said, lips quirked in an almost-smile.

“Guess it took a while to sink in,” Tony said, picking up his own coffee – black, as always when he was outside the tower. He had learned a while ago not to trust containers of sugar or cartons of milk and creamer that were left out where anyone could access them.

“Who was that you were?” Pepper said, getting straight to the point. “Are you dating someone?”

“Would you be mad if I was?” Tony asked, genuinely unsure of the answer, and swallowed when she frowned. But before he could defend himself, Pepper leaned over and put a hand on his arm.

“Tony, no. I want you to be happy. For a little while there, I thought you would never be happy again.” She blinked rapidly, and he was pretty sure he saw a glimmer of moisture in her eyes as she added, “If you’ve found someone, or even two someone’s, who can make you happy, I could never be upset about that.”

“You shouldn’t be so sure of that,” Tony said.

Pepper frowned. “What do you mean?”

“That was Loki and Bucky Barnes,” Tony said in an impulsive rush before his brain could kick in and stop him from making a mistake. It was stupid, it was _so_ stupid and potentially risky, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Who was?” Pepper said, not understanding.

“That guy wrapped around me was Loki. The one standing in front of us was Bucky Barnes. I’m dating them.”

It still took a few seconds for the information to click. When her mouth dropped open, Tony knew she got it.

“Don’t freak out,” he begged, holding up a hand. “Please, just listen.”

“I’m listening,” she said in a tight voice, and he knew he had to talk fast.

So he did.

He quickly brought her up to speed on what he, Loki and James had been doing with the Infinity Stones. Occasionally pausing only to take a sip of his coffee when his throat grew too dry, Tony told her about Wanda Maximoff and the Vision’s death. He explained about Thanos and what the Mad Titan wanted to do. He also told her about Dr. Strange and how they would be destroying the time stone tomorrow.

When he was finished, Pepper set her tea down and gave him a hard stare that instantly made Tony break out into a sweat.

“Okay. I’m not happy about Vision, but I get why it had to happen,” she said slowly.

Tony breathed a little easier. “And Maximoff?” 

“What about her?”

“Loki is mind controlling her,” Tony pointed out. He’d thought that Pepper would have at least a few ethical concerns about that. However, much to his surprise, Pepper snorted and rolled her eyes.

“After everything that bitch has done, she deserves what’s coming to her. No, what _really_ concerns me is what you _didn’t_ tell me. No where in your story do I hear an account of how you came to be dating Loki and Bucky Barnes. Nor did you tell me what Loki is getting out of this,” she said, and damn. Pepper really was too smart for Tony’s good.

He sighed and dropped his eyes, fiddling with his cup. “Loki was brainwashed before, I told you that. But… he still wants to take over the Earth.”

When no explosion was forthcoming, he risked a glance at Pepper. She was watching him with pursed lips, a thoughtful look on her face.

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing, Pep. Not anymore. The Earth is such a shitshow right now. You know as well as I do that we’re heading for World War III at this rate, and it’s going to be bad,” Tony told her quietly. “I’m… I’m _tired_. I need to – I need –” He didn’t know how to put it into words and had to stop to catch his breath.

She waited, silent, for him to continue.

And when he could, he said, “So far as Rogers knows, Bucky Barnes is still in Wakanda. James is not Bucky Barnes. He doesn’t even remember being Barnes. He needed an escape, and Loki provided that to him. He… he provided that to me too.”

Though it wasn’t an escape. Not really.

Loki had given Tony a _home_.

He clenched his hand and the emeralds on his panja bracelet caught the light. Pepper glanced down, her eyes widening slightly when she saw the bracelet.

“That’s beautiful,” she breathed.

“Loki,” Tony said simply. He could have shown her the anklet but chose not to. The bracelet’s signified him as Loki’s property to all; the anklet was special, private, between the three of them.

Pepper stared at the bracelet for a long time before she glanced up, meeting his eyes. “I just don’t know, Tony,” she said finally. “This is a lot to process. I’m not sure how I feel about you essentially handing the Earth over to a god.”

“I know. It’s pathetic. I’m weak,” Tony said, bracing himself for her disgust. He deserved it.

But she shook her head. “You’re not weak or pathetic. I’ve always thought that you put too much on yourself, and ever since you became Iron Man the whole world expects everything from you and that’s not fair. There was never anyone who was willing or able to share that burden. In that respect, I… I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think Loki and James could be good for you.”

Tony stared at her in shock.

“Just let me think about it, okay?” Pepper said, gentling her tone. “Let’s have breakfast tomorrow morning before you go see Dr. Strange. Will you meet me at our favorite place?”

Mutely, still stunned, he nodded. She smiled at him and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

Into his ear, she whispered, “I still love you, okay? You’re one of my best friends and I don’t want to lose you.”

“You could never lose me,” Tony whispered, impulsively wrapping her up in a hug. She hugged him back hard, smelling of her favorite perfume, and he thought that things between them might just turn out okay.


	5. Chapter 5

A thunderstorm heralded Tony’s return to the tower. At first, he didn’t think much of it. He was looking out the car’s window, trying not to pin all of his hopes on his meeting with Pepper. She had been surprisingly receptive, and he hoped that a little more time to think would only solidify her seemingly positive reaction. He had agreed to give her space until tomorrow morning, which would be easy enough. Loki and James would be all over him with curiosity by the time he made it back, and then he figured they'd spend most of the night discussing their plan.

Thunder boomed and Tony jumped, his eyes shooting to the sky just in time to see a bolt of lightning split the sky straight overhead. It had been a while since New York had had a storm. Tony watched the sky for a moment, taking in the dark grey clouds. They were in for a real downpour.

And then, on the heels of another jagged lightning bolt, was a familiar figure flying across the sky.

"Fuck," Tony breathed, his heart sinking. 

"I'm sorry, Sir?" his driver asked, peering at Tony in the rear-view mirror.

"I gotta go - you're free for the rest of the day with pay," Tony said hurriedly, pushing the door of the car open and launching himself out. Without a thought, he activated the armor. It rolled over him seamlessly, just as he had planned. 

It was the first time he'd put on the armor with the intention of using it in a battle since Siberia. The realization gave Tony momentary pause, but there was no time to dwell on it. Not when Thor was about five seconds away from making impact with the tower. He activated the thrusters and shot into the air amidst cries of surprise from the people around him. Normally he would've done something silly or waved or said something reassuring, but right now there was no time. Iron Man shot up above the buildings and headed for the tower as fast as he could - which was pretty damn fast, if he did say so himself.

"Sir, Thor has entered the building," JARVIS said in his ear.

"Yeah, I got that," Tony said through gritted teeth, mentally cursing himself for not having revoked Thor's access. He had removed the access of everyone else with the exception of Bruce and Thor, as they were the only two Avengers who had never really done anything to Tony. Well, Thor had grabbed him around and the neck and lifted him off the ground, and Bruce had abandoned him and been a pretty shitty friend, but that was nothing compared to what Rogers, Barton and Romanov had done. So Tony, not thinking straight in the depths of his grief over Rhodey's death, had chosen to leave their access the same.

He landed on the balcony and scowled as he took in the charred footsteps that crossed said balcony and disappeared into the tower: freaking Thor with his love for electricity. Still, at least it made Thor easy to follow. He made his way into the building.

"He's in the living room," JARVIS told him.

"With?"

"Loki and James."

Shit. Tony picked up the pace until he was practically running, though he slowed as he came to the living room. He had hoped to slide in without being noticed, but Asgardian hearing was even more sensitive than a supersoldier. All eyes snapped to him as Tony entered the room, so he decided to roll with it. He let the faceplate slide away so that Thor could see that it was really him and smiled.

"Hey bud. Looks like you came back early."

"Tony," Thor said, somewhere in between warm and cool. They had parted on decent terms, after all.

"What are you doing here?" Tony asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral as he sized up the situation. Loki and James had clearly been watching television. JARVIS had probably barely had the chance to warn them before Thor burst in. James's face was carefully blank. So was Loki's, for that matter. Tony wished he could get across the room to get between them and Thor, but that would be blatantly obvious.

Thor frowned faintly. "There have been some disturbing rumors spreading across the galaxy. I wanted to speak to you and our captain about them and find out if you knew anything that would be of help. I was not expecting... this." His gaze slid back to Loki, and Tony tensed. 

"Well, we weren't expecting you either, so I suppose we're equal in that respect," Loki said coolly. "Most people learn to knock at a young age, but I see that - as always - manners have escaped you."

"What are you doing here, Brother?" Thor asked, clearly choosing to ignore the dig. "You're not welcome on Midgard. Please don't tell me that you're trying to take over again." He put his hand on Mjolnir as he spoke. Loki's shoulders stiffened. James clearly noticed because he edged around in front of Loki. 

"You shouldn't talk about things that you don't know about. Loki is perfectly welcome here," Tony said, deciding that he no longer cared about being obvious. He moved, putting himself squarely between Thor and James and Loki. Steve and Thor had sparred before and neither had come out any worse for the wear, but it was hard to say how a supersolider would hold up against Mjolnir and Tony wasn't willing to take that chance. He would much rather that Thor went through the new and improved version of the armor first: at least that would give James and Loki a chance to run.

"Really," Thor said, clearly not believing that.

"Yes, really. I own this tower and Loki has permission to be here anytime he wants to," Tony said firmly. "As for the rest of the world, they would and will be a hell of a lot more appreciative of his presence once they find out that we're already taking steps to address those very rumors you've come to discuss with us."

"You are?" Thor's eyes flicked over Tony's shoulder. As badly as Tony wanted to turn around to see what Loki looked like right now, he knew better than to take his eyes off a potential threat.

"Yeah, we are. It's not been easy, but we've already managed to destroy one Infinity Stone," Tony told him, which at least earned him Thor's full attention. He decided that Thor didn't need to know about Loki's eventual plans for world domination. Right now, it was better that Thor thought Loki had agreed to work with them out of mutual benefit. It wasn't like Thanos was going to be picky about who he chose to kill in his quest.

“I’d like to hear more,” Thor said cautiously, his shoulders relaxing slightly.

“Great. Come with me. I’ll tell you everything over drinks.” Tony clapped a gauntleted hand onto Thor’s shoulder and gently but firmly steered Thor out of the room.

\--

“I take it that was your brother,” James said when he thought that Tony and the blond man – presumably Thor, judging by how he’d called Loki ‘brother’ – left the room. It immediately felt like there was a little more space to breathe. 

“Yes,” Loki said, looking faintly shell-shocked. Or at least, he did to James’s experienced eye. He studied Loki for a moment, trying to figure out how best to continue.

Loki didn’t speak much about his past, which was fine with both James and Tony: neither of them had pasts that they were proud of, so it stood to reason that Loki would feel the same. All three of them walked a healthy but delicate line between sharing what needed to be shared and not prying too much. Loki especially would have reacted poorly to be pressed, after all.

James knew _of_ Thor, of course. FRIDAY had told him plenty about the former Avengers. But the finer nuances of Loki’s relationship with Thor were still a mystery. Tony had mentioned off-handedly that they didn’t get along, and but that Thor seemed to think there was a chance for reparations between them. Loki, on the other hand, had always been volatile towards his brother.

It was too hard to tell how Loki was feeling right now. So James just decided to go for it.

“Do you want Tony to kick him out?” he asked bluntly, and Loki’s attention snapped to him. “Because Tony will do that in a heartbeat, and I’d help him.”

“Thor would fight you. You might be a supersoldier, but you’re no match for a god. Neither is the Iron Man armor,” Loki replied.

“I’ve faced worse odds,” James said, which was not a lie. 

“You would really do it,” Loki said, looking at him with wonder.

Slightly uncomfortable, James shrugged his shoulders but nodded. “You’re – you know, Tony and I care about you,” he mumbled. “You erased Hydra’s words from my brain… you took me away from people who wanted me to be what I can’t. You saved Tony. You saved me.”

Slowly, he went to his knees and closed his eyes.

Kneeling at Loki’s feet.

There was a shuddery, quick inhale before Loki’s hand landed on his head.

“I have made many poor choices in my life but saving you and Tony were the best decisions I ever made,” Loki said softly. “Don’t get rid of Thor. Not yet. There is an Infinity Stone on Asgard. If Tony can convince Thor to see reason, it will be much easier to get that Stone with Thor’s help.”

“You could get it either way,” James said confidently, and Loki chuckled.

“I appreciate your confidence in me. I’m sure that I could with the help of a few illusions, but like I said it would be easier to have Thor’s cooperation. He would also be a strong ally against Thanos,” Loki added, and it was hard to know who he was trying to convince.

Not to mention, James thought it would probably be a good thing to have the future King of Asgard and the future King of Earth on speaking terms. But he wasn’t about to say that out loud.

“I don’t know Thor. Do you think he’ll listen to Tony?” James asked.

Loki smiled faintly. “I have every confidence in our pet’s silver tongue,” he murmured, sliding his hand down to cup James’s cheek before letting go and holding his hand out. “All the same, I would rather not be in the tower right now. I’m going to go fetch the witch from Wakanda. We’ll need her to destroy the Time Stone tomorrow.”

James took Loki’s hand and allowed Loki to effortlessly pull him to his feet. But Loki pulled him even closer and ducked his head to brush a kiss to James’s lips. Sometimes Loki was all passion, and then at other times he would do things like this that made James’s stomach flutter. The difference was intoxicating and made James hunger for more, but Loki was pulling away with a wicked smile.

“Later,” he promised. 

“I’m holding you to that,” James said grumpily as Loki vanished in a pale green flash of light. 

He had no interest in finding Tony and Thor – he was pretty sure that he wouldn’t be able to add anything to the conversation, since they’d be talking about things James didn’t know – so he headed to his room. Most of the time he, Loki and Tony spent the night in Tony’s ginormous bed, but there were still times when James craved solitude. FRIDAY had helped him to decorate his room, and he loved it. The cool blues, grays, and greens were soothing when his brain was a mess.

But he also had a project to work on. With a smile, he shut the door and took a seat. Tony was hard at work on the metal part of the staff. James’s part had started a little more slowly, but he was enjoying working with the wood. It was a nice reminder that his hands could do more than just create bloodshed: he could create good things too. He picked up the staff, inhaling the scent of the wood, and got to work.


	6. Chapter 6

Tony was exhausted by the time he’d finished speaking. He sat, shoulders bowed, and watched Thor apprehensively as Thor sat in quiet contemplation. Under any other circumstances, it might have been amusing to see the usually boisterous Thor be so still. But not right now. Not when there was a chance that Thor was going to react very poorly to what he’d just been told.

He didn’t even realize that his hand had crept up to cradle his throat protectively until Thor cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry. I never apologized for my reaction that day.”

“What?” Tony said in surprise, then realized what he was doing. He immediately put his hand down. “Uh – it’s fine.”

Thor frowned. “More and more, I understand it’s not,” he said softly, watching Tony closely. Too closely. It was easy to dismiss Thor, to think him stupid or unintelligent, but he wasn’t. Tony looked away, uncomfortable.

“Any – anyway,” he said quickly. “I know that you’re probably not happy Loki’s shown up, and that he has plans for world domination again. But I’m asking you not to interfere here, Thor. I really think that in long run, this will be best for everything. Earth is… it’s just a fucking mess right now.” And oh, there was no quicker way to bring on a headache than to dwell on just _how much_ of a mess it really was.

“I see. I have to admit that I’m surprised by your change of mind. Last time I met you and our comrades, you felt very differently,” Thor said slowly. “But then… much has changed in my absence.”

“You don’t even know the half of it,” Tony said, staring down at the table. “Really… my primary concern is dealing with Thanos. Everything else that happens afterwards is just –”

“An afterthought,” Thor said, and Tony glanced up at him. It was startling to see the compassion and understanding in Thor’s face. 

“Yeah,” Tony said, very quietly. “I can’t think that far ahead.” That wasn’t technically true. Tony could and had thought that far ahead. But with Loki and James around, he was very slowly starting to realize that he didn’t _have_. He might just have people he could actually rely on now. And if that was the case, maybe it didn’t have to be his responsibility to plan for every eventuality. If Loki really did take over the Earth, then all of that would be Loki’s problem. That thought shouldn’t have been as comforting as it was.

“I will admit that I’m not sure yet,” Thor said, drumming his fingers on the table. “My brother is very mischevious. I can’t help but think that he might be fooling you.”

Tony flinched. “Why, because it’s crazy that someone could care for me?”

“No!” Thor exclaimed. “My friend, that came out wrong. I meant that I have found that there are few things Loki would stoop to when there is something he wants. I truly hope that’s not the case here, because I can see –”

“You can see what?” Tony asked when it became clear that Thor wasn’t going to finish.

Thor looked at him thoughtfully. “I can see that you need him, and that he probably needs you. So I truly hope that everything you have told me is correct.”

“I’ve told you everything I know,” Tony said, which actually was the truth. He’d even told Thor about their plan to destroy the Time Stone tomorrow. Much to his surprise, Thor hadn’t cared about the fact that Vision was dead or that Loki was brainwashing Maximoff. 

But then he supposed that Thor hadn’t known Vision well, and Maximoff had done little to endear herself to anyone but Rogers or Barton.

“Would you mind if I came tomorrow?” Thor asked. “I’d like to meet this Dr. Strange, and I would like to be there when the Time Stone is destroyed. I could speak to Loki at the same time.”

Tony gave him a suspicious look. “You’re not planning to attack Loki, right?”

Thor smiled. “No. Not unless Loki attacks me first. I have always loved my brother very much. If I could find a way to work with Loki again, especially in regards to saving the universe, well… that would make me very happy indeed. I don’t have much else.” His eyes were shadowed when he stood and offered Tony a hand.

Tony stood as well and allowed the suit to retract around his hand so that he could Thor’s hand. They shook.

“You can meet us at the sanctum tomorrow,” Tony said, and then told him where it was and what time to be there. Thor nodded, released Tony’s hand, and turned. He reached for Mjölnir and spun the hammer once, then let it yank him out the window. Tony watched him go, standing still until Thor had become nothing but a speck against the darkening sky. He hadn’t realized just how long they had been talking until now.

He tapped the front of the armor, allowing it to retract until he was just standing there in his suit. The thought of a shower and some food was appealing, but what he wanted –

What he _really_ wanted…

“JARVIS, where are James and Loki?” he asked.

“James is working on Loki’s staff,” JARVIS answered readily. “Loki has just returned to the mansion.” There was a pause, then JARVIS added, “It seems they are both convening in the bedroom. Should I let them know you’ll be joining them?”

“No,” Tony said, his stomach flickering with unease. He couldn’t get Thor’s expression or words out of his head. What if Loki was fooling him? What if James was too? What if they didn’t care and were just using him like everyone else?

“I’m sure they wouldn’t mind,” said JARVIS pointedly. “You don’t have anything pressing in the workshop right now. The ‘bots are in their charge stations, and you haven’t had any new emails from Ms. Potts since the last time you checked. Your next meeting is your breakfast appointment with her.”

Tony made a face to himself. That was the problem with having an A.I. around who knew you too well. His instinct was to guide hide away in the workshop and mentally chase himself around in circles trying to figure out whether Thor was right until he either broke down and got drunk or passed out from sheer exhaustion, and JARVIS knew it. 

“Alright, fine,” he muttered. “Let them know.”

“Already done,” JARVIS said, and if it was possible for an A.I. to sound smug, then JARVIS was doing it. Tony scowled again as he made his way towards the elevator.

He emerged out of the elevator on his floor and followed the sound of voices to the bedroom. His heart twisted in his chest when he walked in and saw James and Loki already inside. James was standing beside the window, looking out at the city – possibly watching for Thor. Loki, on the other hand, had reclined on the bed like the king he was someday going to be.

They both looked at him when he paused in the doorway.

“Loki retrieved Maximoff, so we’re all set on that front,” James said. “How did your conversation go?” He was trying hard to sound casual.

“Good, I think. Thor wants to come tomorrow, if that’s okay,” Tony said hesitantly, looking more at Loki than at James. Loki never talked about Thor. Ever.

“I see,” Loki said, very quiet, and Tony’s stomach sank.

“It’s – I can put him off when he shows up tomorrow. He doesn’t have to come,” Tony said, dropping his gaze and fiddling with his panja bracelet. “I just thought that he might be a good ally…” 

He sounded defensive, didn’t he? That wasn’t what he intended at all. He really did think there was potential in having Thor as an ally, especially if things came to a head with Thanos and they did end up fighting him.

“Pet, come here.”

Tony’s legs responded to the command before Tony’s brain had fully registered it; he was halfway across the room before he could stop himself. He glanced at James, but there was no help there. James had turned back to the window. So he looked at Loki, who opened his arms up.

And Tony realized that he couldn’t say no.

If this was a joke, if Loki _was_ fooling him, then he wanted as much of this as he could get while he could get it.

He scrambled onto the bed and up by Loki’s side, allowing himself to be folded into Loki’s embrace. It was moments like this when he noticed just how tall Loki was, when Tony’s head was comfortably pillowed on Loki’s shoulder and yet his toes only reached Loki’s ankles. He pressed himself as closely to Loki as he could, a shuddery exhale working its way out.

“Shh,” Loki murmured, cold fingers brushing Tony’s wrists. The glowing green bands of magic returned, binding Tony’s wrists. He relaxed, inexplicably comforted.

James joined them then, laying on Loki’s other side and propping himself up with one hand behind his head. He took Loki’s free hand with his other hand, loosely intertwining their fingers. 

“Thor may come,” Loki said at last, fingers trailing lightly through Tony’s hair. “And we shall see, my boys.”

\-----

“Wanda’s gone.”

For a moment, Steve didn’t even register what Natasha had said. After all, he hadn’t expected to suddenly hear her voice while he was in the middle of a shower. He blinked some soap out of his eyes, stuck his head under the water to rinse the rest of it off, and then pulled the shower curtain back a bit to peer out at her.

“What?”

“Wanda’s gone again,” Natasha said tersely. 

“Gone? What do you mean, gone?” Steve demanded.

“I mean _gone_. As in, I’ve looked everywhere for her and I can’t find her. No one’s seen her since this afternoon,” Natasha said. There was a slightly wild look in her eyes. “Not since she went down to visit –” She cut herself off, but Steve had already guessed what she was going to say.

“Bucky?” he breathed, new alarm coursing through him. He quickly turned the shower off and wrenched the curtain open, not caring if Natasha saw him naked. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist as he raced out of the room.

Natasha followed, of course, because she was Natasha and she always wanted to know what was going on. Steve didn’t care. He outpaced her within seconds, so he was alone when he wrenched open the door to the room where Bucky was. His heart was racing as he took in the cryo chamber, which – to the naked eye anyway – looked the same as it had this morning.

But how could he be sure?

“Steve?” Natasha was panting as she came in behind him. “Steve! What are you doing?”

“I think you’re right. Something is going on. I never heard back from Vision, and that’s not like him. He always answers a text,” Steve said, jabbing at the tablet that controlled the chamber. “Sharon’s not answering me either, and now Wanda is just… just _gone_ again? After seeing Bucky? She _never_ comes down here.”

“No, but she does come down here just for a change of pace. I don’t think you should be playing with that,” Natasha said, watching him warily. 

“They can put him right back to sleep! I just need to make sure –” Steve gritted his teeth. He didn’t understand any of the messages coming up because they were written in a foreign language. Still, he kept pressing buttons. Luck was with him, because at last the cryogenic chamber started beeping. There was a low hiss and then the locks that kept it shut disengaged.

“Steve,” Natasha said again.

“It’s fine!” Steve grabbed the door and easily wrenched it up. He just needed to see Bucky’s face and hear Bucky’s voice. He needed to know that Bucky was still okay. That was all he needed. He stared down at his sleeping friend and then reached down, lightly skimming his fingers across Bucky’s flesh arm –

And then, before his eyes, Bucky turned to green smoke that faded away.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](https://tsuki-chibi.tumblr.com/).


End file.
